1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle seat arrangement, having a seat bottom and a backrest.
2. Background Art
A vehicle seat can be configured to make it easier for passengers to get into or out of the vehicle in two ways. First, the seat can be pushed forward along a rail on the floor of the vehicle, producing more free space behind it to get in or out. Second, the backrest can be tilted forward about a horizontal pivot axis, so that the backrest, which is inclined slightly backward in the usual seat position, no longer obstructs the entry area. It is now easier for passengers to get to seats located behind the vehicle seat arrangement.
Getting in or out is further facilitated by the fact that when the backrest is tilted forward in its entry position, it can be locked. This makes it unnecessary for the passenger to keep pressing the backrest forward when getting in or out, and prevents unwanted, premature righting of the backrest. It can also be advantageous to lock the backrest in its entry position in order to have more storage space available when driving with the seat pushed forward into the entry position, when unwanted righting of the backrest should also be avoided.
However, conventional vehicle seat arrangements that are capable of performing this function have the disadvantage of being complex, elaborate, expensive to assemble, and liable to break down. Embodiments of the invention described herein addresses these and other problems.